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Election Night Quick Pickles

They were ready just in time to make an interesting relish tray for our Thanksgiving dinner. Election night 2012, I was so nervous I couldn’t sit still and chopping vegetables always relaxes me.
In my vegetable drawer were some inglorious rutabaga and some candy stripped beets that weren’t getting any younger.
I pulled out the mandolin, sliced up each and then contemplated them in their individual bowls.
The rutabaga I decided needed to be adventurous so I sliced up some ginger and garlic and added it.
The beets got garlic and some leftover fresh thyme, and everything packed into wide month jars.
Then I set about to make my brine for both.

My basic formula is half cider vinegar, half water.
First briefly toast some whole coriander and pepper corns in your pot. Add about 2 cups vinegar and 2 cups water and about 1/4 cup salt and 1/4-1/2 cup sugar, and a bay leaf. This is for about 4, 16oz jars full.
I then added some Ethiopian Berbere Spice blend for kick. Bring to gentle boil to dissolve sugar and salt.
Pour into jars until vegetables are fully covered and then boil water process the sealed jars for 10 minutes.
Pickles can be eaten in 2-3 weeks but do get better with some age. If you don’t want to bother with the water processing, just keep them in your frig.